Machine for making corrugated fasteners



Sept. 4, 1928.

C. O. SWENSON MACHINE FOR' MAKING CORRUGATED FASTENERS Filed oct. 9,1924 4 sheets-sheet 1 Far] mw En h Fw s@ Si Ms NNN Sept. 4, 1928.

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Filed 0G15. 9, 1924 WO fl O C O SWENSON MACHINE FOR'MAK'ING CORRUGATEDFASTENERS Sept. 4, 1928.

C. O. SWENSON MACHINE FOR MAKING CORRUGATED FATENERS Filed Oct. 9, 19244 Sheets-Sheet, 3

. /Sanson Sept.-4, 1928. 1,682,864

c. o. sWENsoN MACHINE FOR MAKING CORRUGATED FASTENERS Filed Oct. 9, 19244 Sheets-Shea?.l 4

`vingrolls 4for drawing the strip through the milling mechanism and to atake-up reel, whichIshall presently describe.

The ortion of shatt shown projecting from t e bearing 41 comprises onesection `of a two-part shaft which is journalled in linished istrip.

the bearings 41and 42 of the bearing stock 26, Interposed between "thetwo sections of the shaft is a suitable type of clutch 43 forinterrupting `the drive to Ithe corrugating rolls, to the feeding rollsyand to the take/up reel. A `yoke LHfhaving bearing in a conventionalclutch collar 45 serves to actuate the clutch. y Extending from the yokeis an operating' lever 46 (Fig. 2)l having piv- Otal [connection `at its[outer end with an operating flink 47 extending to a control leverlocated at any convenient point of `operation:l This oint of operationIis prefers` :ably adjacent t e jleft-hand end of the ma-` chine" inproximityto the take-up reel, where the'operator canobserve thecondition of the As shown inFigures 1 and 3, the lefthand end oftheelutchshat 35 has mounted i thereon abevel gear @which meshes with rearend `of the power sha ear 51 on a transverse a smaller l bevel hispower. shaft is suppower shaft 52.1`

ported in bearing hubs53 inthe side wallsy 54 of sub-frame 55. ulley 57on the it 52 receives the drivingr belt. As shown 'in Figure 5, ithesub-`frame 55 is of U-shaped section, suitably secured ,toI the"Vlongitudinal frame members 13," and assembled onV thisk sublframe isthe 'milling mechanism 56.` 'y y Themillingmechanism 56 comprises twomilling cutters 58 and 5.9 which mill off the upper edge ofthe 'corruatedV strip on `the o posite sides thereof. n being presente Itothefirst milling cutter 58, the strip is drawn betweenthis milling cutterand a backin guide 61. `This backing guide` is secure by cap screws 62to a sturdy supporting .block 63 which has a relatively wide plateextension `654 ri idly secured to the top of an extensionon t e bearingstandard 42 (Fig. 1). VThe backing guidei'or bar6 1 is illustrated indetail in Figure 6, fromwhich it will be noted that it has guide `slots65 `for receiving thetwo guide screws 62. The

working face of the backing member 61 is always ,maintained inparallelism with the cutting face of the cutter 58, the opposite face.ot' the backing member being sloped, however, at an angle to thisworking face. The backingr member is supported in a right angle recessyin the top of the block 63, as shown in Figure 5, and the vertical Wallof this recess is sloped correspondingly to the rear face of the backingmember, so that as the backing member is shifted in this guide recessits front working face will be advanced towards, or will be allowed toretract from, the cutting face of the millinr cutter 58, 'alwa sremaining in substantia parallelism wit this cutting face. If de sired,the outer end of the backing member 61 may beprovided with a stopshoulder 67 adapted toabut the end of the block 63 and limit the inwardmovement of the backing member. i An eye 68 in the outer end of thebacking member is adapted to have pivotal connection through a link 69with an operating lever 71. The lower end of this operating lever "ispivotally supported on a bracket 72 bolted to the plate extension 64 andto the bearing extension 42. By the provision of this operating lever 71a greater leverage can be exerted on the backing member for shifting thesame backwardl or forwardly in its inclined guide recess, wgerebgthisbacking member can be shifted with t e machine `in operation` or withthe corrugated strip confined between the backin member and the cutterteeth. After eac adjustment, theca screws 62 are, of course, screweddown `tig t to clamp the backing member in this adjusted position.

Rising from the working face of the backing member 61 is a sheet metalplate 74. Thelower edge `of this plate is formed with a right angleHarige which is apertured for receiving the cap screws62 passing downthrough the backing member y 61. This plate prevents any of the cuttingsfrom being thrownover the backing` member 61 and into gearing on therear sid of this backing member;` and thisplate also avoids any pos-`sibility ofthe strlp` working upwards and slipping over the top of thebacking member i 61.l Suitably supported directly below the cutter 58 isan inclined chute 7 5 for conducting the cuttings away from the fearingand` other working parts of themac ine. y

`The cutter 58 performs one-half of the entire milling operation,`milling oi the left side oi" the upper edge of the strip, as viewed inFigure 5. From this first cutter 58 thel strip is .fed to the secondcutter 59, which is positioned on the o posite side of the strip, tomill ofi the rig t-hand side of this` upper edge. This secondary cutter59 has a duplicate arrangement of backing member 61 similarly Amountedso that its endwise shifting movement will move the working face thereoftowards or away from the cutter i 59. `The mounting of this secondarybacklll."

ing member 61 will be obvious from the foregoing description. The memberis similarly actuated through alink` 69 and operating lever 71. `Adiagonal chute 75 conducts the scrap or cuttings away from thissecondary cutter. y i y i y y Each cutter is joui-nailed `in anindividual bearing frame, by thetilting of which the angleof the cutterrelative to the edge ofthe strip' can be varied. The revolvable bearingframes for both cuttersare, very similar, the two merely occupying ireversed positions upon the opposite sidesof the strip. Hence a`description of one of these `bearing frames will su'llice for both.Each frame 77 or 77 has a longitudinal bearing extension 78 and atransverse bearing extension T 9. In the longitudinal bearing extension78 is jourf nalled thearborl of its respective milling cutter. In thetransverse bearing extension is journalled the transversedrive shaft 82which fis geared to `the arbor 81 through the two bevelv gears `Sfand84. The outer end of the transverse drive shaft 82 extends out throughan enlarged .opening or slot 85 in the adjacent side wall of thesub-frame, this opening being of lappropriate size or shape to permitthe tilting of the sub-frame. This tilting occurs aroundan axis which`passes through or in proximity to the airis of the cutter, as shown inigurel` The frame 4swings about astub shaft SG which project-s laterallyfrom tlie,bearing frame through a bearing opening in the adjacent sidewall` 54. rin enlarged collar portion 87 bearing against theinner sideof the sidewall serves as an'elfectual guide for the swingingmo tion ofthe bearing frame.,y It is preferable that the axis of the` stubshaft 86intersect the `anis of the` cutter, and preferably at a point midway` ofthe length of ,thecutteu althpugh this may bedeparted `from if desiret.i i

Each stub `shaftf8`6` has a" reduced outer end 88 on which arejournalled idler spur gears for transmitting` a driveto their`respective cross shafts 82 fand 82' Onthe stub shaft- 88 for the firstmilling cutter 5S is journalled a gear `89 which meshes with a `smallerspur gear 91f1xed to the front proy jecting end of the` power shaft 52.The

large spur gear 89 transmits the `power derived from the gear 91 to athird gear 92 on the; transverse drive shaft 82." This gear `92 swingswith the tilting movementof the frame 77 around the axis ofthe stubshaft 86, and thus acontinuous driving relation is maintainedbetween thegears 91 and 92 dur ing the tilting ofthe bearing frame 77.

Mountedfor free rotation on the reduced end 88 of the other stub .shaft86 are two gears 98 and94twhich are rigidly joined together. Theoutergear 94 meshes with an idler gear 95 supported on a cross shaft 9G`in theside wall of the rsulrframe, and this The tilting of each bearingframe is secured through` a segment gear 101 cut` in an arcuatedepending portion formed integrally with the lower side of each bearingframe. The cross shaft 96 on which the idler gear 95 `isjournalledcxtends through the right hand side wall 54 of the subframe(Fig. 5) and carries a spur gear or has gear teeth 102 formed thereinwhich mesh with the segment 101. `.ln theopposite wall 54 of thesub-frame is another stub shaft 103 having gear teeth 102 which meshwith the segnient gear 101 of the first Acutter frame. The stub shafts96 and 103 each have squared ends "103' for the reception of a suitablewrench. By the rotation of these stub shafts the angular position ofeither or both milling cutters relative to theedge of the strip canreadily be adjusted. Such adjustment may be for obtaining a more@effective angle of cutting for a smoother cut, or for presentinganother portion `of the cutter faceto thevstrip after one portion hasbecome cutting face liein a `plane or planes., substantially parallelwith the vertical side of the strip or its course of travel `past thecutter. By thus disposing the cutter, the cutting edges of the tooltraverse a circular path which interceptsthe strip edgewise. InV theirdownward sweep` the cutter teeth suecessively engage the strip at apoint in or beyond the median plane of the edgelthereof` and leave ordisengage the strip` at one side and between the `edges thereof. AThisdis-1 posal of the cutter taires advantage of the ability ofa corrugatedstrip to withstand transverse stress and incidentally produces hollowcut in the strip, leaving sides of slightly concave `proiile,"asshown inFigure 8. Such a cut results in sharper tooth points and assists inavoiding burrs and uneven throats. This disposal and direction ofrotation of the cutter also results in the cutter teeth completingtheirshearing 4operationor breaking Contact with thestrip down below`lill the bottoms of the throats along the side of the strip, which alsoaids in avoiding burrs or other unevenness in the throats j at thepointsk. Moreover, by virtue of such positioning of thecutter arelatively long length of the cutter face is act-ive in removingmaterial.

While this disposal of the milling Icutter in a plane parallel wit-h thevertical plane of the strip has the several advantages described above,nevertheless such disposal of the cutter is not successful to the degreedesired without another important setting of the cut-ter, constitutingpart of the present invention. Thiswf latter setting vis the .disposalof the anis` ofthe cutter at a slight angle tothe horizontal' line ofthe strip edge, and with the-trailing end of the cutter pointing in thedirection of travel of the strip. This is indicated by the angle inFigure 3. In experiments `conducted with the axis of the milling cutteraligned horizontally or parallel with the edge of the strip the resultswere notsuccessful to the degree obtained from tilting the cuttersubstantially as shown. In actual practice this tilting is comparativelysmall, ranging from 2- to 4 degrees. By virtue of the mounting of thecutters on the tiltable bearing frames, the angle of each cutter can beseparately adjusted to any desired degree which Vmay be found to givethe smoothest lcut. The reasony why this vert-ical inclination isdesirable or necessary appears to be because if the cutter were parallelwith the strip edge therst cutter tooth would have to remove all of thematerial cut from the strip, whereas by inclining the cutter as showneach successive cutter toothmakessuccessive shallow cuts and thusremoves the material in small amounts. i

From this milling mechanism 56 the strip is led between a pair oftoothed feedingrolls 104 and 105located just posterior to the millingmechanism in the line of travel of the strip. The two rolls'have bearingsupport in a transverse bea-ring member 106 ,supported at the top of abracket 107. This bracket is bolted toa transverse plate 108, which inturn is secured to the longitudinal frame members 13. Depending from theplate 108 is a bearing 109 (Fig. 1) for sup-` porting the lower lineshaft 38. A pair of bearings 111 and 112 support the right-hand end ofthis shaft and a fourth bearing 113 att-he end of the frame supports thelefthand end of the shaft. Extending down from the corrugating roll 104isa vertical shaft V114 which carries a bevel gear 115 at its lower endmeshing with another bevel gear 116 on the shaft 38. The feeding rolls104 and 105 are thus driven in cynchronism withthe first pair of rolls23 and 24, so that eachpairV will have the same feeding speed for thestrip. The secondary pair of rolls Maase-i 104 and 105 has the twofoldfunction of securing atimed positive feed of the strip past the twomilling cutters, and of reforming and completing any corrugations whichmay have become slightly llattenedl The milling o erations described'above produce a strip w ich is suiciently finished and devoid of burrs,uneven throats, etc..v for all practical uses. However, as illustrativeof a further step in the sequence of operations`, which step I considerentirely'optional, it may be preferred by some manufacturers or in someinstancesv to subject the milled strip to a further grinding operationVrformed by suitable grindin wheels. grindinv' operation will oish themilled sides o? the strip ands arpen the tooth oints and other cuttinredges of the strip. ere the strip as miiied by the mining mechanism 56is to be employed as the linished product, it is led directly to atake-upL reel 137 (which I shall hereinafter describe), but where theoptional step of" grinding` the strip isto be employed| this grinding,mech.- anism is interposed between the milling mechanism and the take-upreel.

Such grinding mechanism is illustrated at 117, and comprises two`grindingwheels 11'8 and 119 mounted for engagin 'the opposite millededges of the strip. Te mountin identical, being merely reversed foroccupying positions on op osite sides of the. strip and accordingly I sall describe only one of these mountmgs in detail The grinding frame 125which is suitably sup `ortedl on crossmembcrs 126: secured tb theongitudinal frame members I3. A lead screw 127 screws through a bearingblock 128 on the end ofthe guide frame and has o erative connection at129 with the shiftab e bearing standard 122, so that, by operation. ofthe outer hand wheell 131, the grinding wheel 118 can be advancedtowards or moved away from the milled strip. `Durin this grindingoperation the strip is confine between two guide plates 132 and' 133which hold the strip against lateral andi downward displacement. boltedto the guide plate 133 and* has. a

notch cut therein'for receiving the faceh of the grinding wheel 1181 Theguide 1133 is bolted at 134 to a transverse'platel secured to the framemembers 13 so that the strip will be guided in a fix .path,jrelative t'owhich the grinding wheel 118 can be adivanced or retracted.

The circular cut made by the' wheels 118 his.

122. A belt pulley' The guidev plate 132 is suitably as for the twogrindingwheels are substantial y' lll? wir

and 119 cooperates with the angle of disposal ot' the milling cutters inthat this cut tends to hollow grind the holloivf "cut iliade bythemilling cutters, This grinding operation is continuous, not requiringanyintermittent stopping and starting of the strip, and hence it doesnotslow` up the operation of lthe machine.

From the second grinding wheel 119, the strip is led to the taire-upreel lsupported out from the end of the machine. The taireup reels areadapted tordetachable mounting on the upper end of a drive shaft`1`38Which is journalled in a bearing arm 139 projecting from a bracket 1111bolted `to the end of the machine. A bevel gear 1,42 on the end of thelower line shaft 88 meshes with anotherbevel gear 143 on thelovver endot a vertical shaft 11121- journalled in bear ings 14:5 projecting :fromthe bearing bracket 141. A belt pulley 1216` on the` shaft 1114intermediate these bearingsreceives a belt 147 which tracks over anotherpulley 148 on the lower end ,ot the shaft 1.38, The slippage affordedthroughthis belt drive compensates for the varyingdiameters of strip onthe reel as the strip `is ivound thereon. The upper end 'of the shaft1411 may drive one of another pair of toothed `feeding rolls 151 forpositively drawing the strip past the grinding Wheels 118 and 119. Aguide roller 152 may be provided for confining the strip against upwarddisplacement to compel it to pass between the feeding rolls 152 and inproper line to the reel 137.

The operation of the machine in its entirety Wlll be obvious from the'foregoing description of each of its component parts.

I do not intend to be limited to the particular details of the specificembodiment herein shown and described, it being apparent that thisspecific embodiment is merely an exempliiication of the essence ofv theinvention.

I claim: e

1. In a machine of the `class described, the combination of means forguiding a portion ot' a corrugated strip in a substantially rectilinearpath, and a milling cutter acting on said strip in said rectilinear pathand having its axis disposed parallel to the plane of said path andinclined in a vertical direction.

2. In a machine ci the class described the combination of stationaryguide means for guiding a portion of a corrugated strip, and a millingcutter engaging said guided portion, said milling cutter having its axisextending parallel to the plane of said guided portion and inclined in avertical direction.

3. In combination, means for guiding a corrugated strip, and a millingcutter acting on said rip and `lianfing its axis extending* parallel lathe azi the eti-lip,

the axis of said milling cutter being inclined to the edge otsaldstrip.`

Ll. In a machine of` the class described, the combination of `means `forguiding a `portion of a `corrugated "strip in a substantiallyArectilinear path, and a milling cutter dis? posedavith its axislparallel to `the plane of an edge ofthe strip and inclined at an angleto said edge of the strip.` ,i f i 5. In a machine `of the classdescribed, the combination olf means for guiding acorrugated strip, anda milling `cutter lacting on the strip disposedvvith its axis in a planeparallel to the edge of the strip, said `cutter 1.

axis being inclined `at an angle to the edge of the strip with thetrailing end of the Acutter inclined towards Vthe strip.

6. In a machine of the class describec,

the combinationof means for, guiding the i strip, and a millingcutterextending in the direction of travel ot said strip and having its axisin a plane parallel to theside of ,said strip, but having its axisinclined at an angle lto thel edge thereof, the leading end of saidcutterbeing inclined avvay from said strip.

7. In mechanism for milling the edgeof corrugated fastener strip, thecombination of means for feeding the strip, `a milling cutter,

and means for tilting saidcutter aroundan i movement thereof includingthe axis of said` cutter in a plane substantially parallel with the pathof said fastener strip.

9. In mechanism for milling the edge ot' corrugated fastener strip, thecombination" of means tor guiding the strip through a predeterminedpath, pivotal supports on each side ot said path, bearing tramespivotally supported oneach of said supports, a

milling cutter mounted on each side of said i predetermined path, saidcutters being disposed vvith'their axes in a plane parallel to the edgeot the strip, and means 'for driving each of said milling cuttersthrough its respective bearing frame.

10. In mechanism for milling the edgeof corrugated fastener strip, thecombination ot means Ylor guiding the strip through a predeterminedpath, a separate bearing frame on each side of said predetermined path,milling cutters supported by each of said frames for cutting theoppositesides of the strip, and means tor driving said cutters through saidbearing frames, said bearing frames having Vpivotal support for ymovement planes parallel 'te this' 'p une said predetermined patin Miti11. In a machine of the class described,

ual :bearing frames on each side of the strip,

.stub axles` pivotally mounting said bearing *frames lto said supportingmembers for plvotal movement in planes parallel with said predeterminedpath, individual milling cutters journalled in each of said bearingframes, a drive shaft projecting from each of said 'bearing framesoperatively connected toits respective milling cutter, gears yon each ofsaid drive shafts, gears on said stub shafts meshing with saidfrst-named gears, and means for driving the gears on said stub Shafts. v

' `'12. In a machine of the class described, the combination ofcorrugating mechanism, milling mechanism, a taieup reel, driving meansfor driving said milling mechanism, transmission means operativelconnect` said orrugating mechanism andI said take-up reel,` meanscomprising a shaft operativel v connecting said transmission means wit iSeid` da'vi means, .and a clutch interposed in said sh t forsimultaneously interrupting the transmission of power to said corrugatmgmechanism .and to said takeaipreel.

second pair of toothed rolls for drawing the ,35

strip through said milling mechanism, a take-up reel, transmissionmechanism operatively connecting said lirst `pair of toothed rolls, saidsecond r air of toothed rolls and said take-u. reel or simultaneousrot-ation, D

a drive sha t for driving saiidmilling mechanism, and a clutchnoperatively connecting said drive shaft with said transmissionmechanism for concurrently interrupti the transmisison of power to said`:first 33d second pairs of toothed rolls and said take- `up reel. l

14. In a machine of the class described, the combination of meansforguiding a corrugated strip and a milljmgcutter 4actin on thestriipdisposed with :its axis in a ne arallel .to the edge of the strip, saidcutter .sing incliined from tlaewedge of the strip so that the cuttingof the strip as it engages the .cutter ,gradually increases in depth asthe strip moves toward the cutter.

VIn witness whereof, `I hereunto suhmrilac my name `this 17th day ofSeptember, 19M.

,om o. sWENsoN.

